by: AIA New York
Esin Pektas, AIA, PE, RA, LEED AP BD+C, QEWI, is a dual-licensed Professional Engineer (PE) and Registered Architect (RA) in New York State with over 20 years of global experience leading infrastructure megaprojects across North America, Europe, and Asia. Her portfolio spans over $100 billion in complex transportation, civic, and urban infrastructure—merging engineering, architecture, and construction leadership at scale.
As Vice President of Engineering at OESC Group—a tribally owned Engineering, Science, and Construction firm under the Oneida Nation—Pektas leads multidisciplinary teams across the U.S. and Japan. Her work integrates emerging technologies including AI, IoT, and Digital Twin platforms to optimize project delivery, sustainability, and long-term asset performance. She plays a key role in OESC’s innovation pipeline, including its contributions to spaceport infrastructure through the Spaceport of the Future Infrastructure (SPOTFI) initiative. Previously, Pektas served as Major Capital Projects Program Director at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, where she oversaw transformative upgrades to the region’s transportation backbone. She was honored with a New York State Senate Proclamation for her leadership during Women’s History Month, and her TEDx talk, “Bringing the Rainbow to Construction,” spotlights her advocacy for diversity, equity, and visibility in the AEC industry.
A frequent delegate on global missions—including Southeast Asia and the U.S.–Italy Business Council—Pektas is also an active educator. She has taught at the University of Oklahoma, the NYC Center for Architecture, was a guest juror at the design studio at Tamkang University in Taipei, and was recently elected Construction Administration Program Representative at Columbia University in the City of New York. Outside of work, Pektas races sailboats on the Hudson River and pilots a Cessna 172—reflecting her lifelong pursuit of perspective, elevation, and forward motion.
Q: What is influencing your work the most right now?
Right now, my work is influenced by a strong sense of purpose and a deep commitment to innovation. Personally, I’m honored to be working for the Oneida Nation as Vice President of Engineering and Desing Services at OESC. While only a portion of our portfolio is located on Oneida lands, the values that guide the Nation—community, long-term thinking, and respect for the built environment—set a meaningful tone for everything we do. That influence carries through whether we’re working on a local cultural facility or a high-tech infrastructure project around the globe.
Professionally, I’m driven by the rapidly evolving integration of AI, IoT, and Digital Twin technologies into the infrastructure and construction industries. These tools are reshaping how we approach planning, design, and facility management, offering real-time data insights that enhance performance, sustainability, and resilience. From U.S. to Southeast Asia, I saw firsthand how global cities are adopting these innovations at scale—from smart transit systems to adaptive building technologies. It reinforced my belief that the future of infrastructure depends on our ability to adopt and lead with technology. At OESC, our footprint spans from the West Coast to the East Coast and extends internationally to Japan. That global perspective keeps me focused on creating systems and structures that are technically forward-looking, adaptable, and built to meet the complex demands of tomorrow.
Q: What are some of your favorite recent projects that you’ve worked on?
Some of the most meaningful and exciting projects I’ve worked on recently span from aerospace to community infrastructure—each one rooted in purpose. The Spaceport of the Future Infrastructure (SPOTFI) project has been a particularly energizing challenge for our team. It merges engineering with imagination, pushing boundaries as we pave the way for the future by building cutting-edge spaceport infrastructure.
In Japan, I had the honor of attending a groundbreaking ceremony at a naval yard, where the experience went far beyond construction. A Shinto priest’s blessing, complete with an altar and traditional sake ceremony, transformed the moment into a spiritual connection with nature. It reminded me of the importance of building consciously and respectfully, with deep regard for our environment. In New York, the design of a skyscraper at the United Nations Plaza tested my architectural and structural capabilities. Working in a global diplomatic context brought new levels of complexity, and I found it immensely rewarding.
But the projects closest to my heart are those within the Oneida Nation. The Oneida Museum, School, Affordable Housing, and the upcoming Corn Processing Facility are more than infrastructure—they are investments in culture, education, food sovereignty, and community. These projects make us proud not only as professionals but also as partners in building a sovereign nation for future generations. They remind me every day why this work matters.
Q: What are your thoughts on architectural education today?
Architectural education is evolving, and there’s exciting momentum around bridging design with real-world practice. Throughout my teaching experiences—from leading LEED exam prep at the Center for Architecture in New York to co-teaching design studio at the University of Oklahoma as the Robert Wesley Inaugural Teaching Fellow—I’ve seen the value of integrating disciplines early on. Teaching students how MEP and structural systems interact with design choices encourages more holistic, buildable solutions.
At Columbia University, where I serve as Program Representative in the Construction Administration Program, I’ve had the opportunity to support conversations around advancing the curriculum in line with industry shifts. I’m particularly interested in the role of AI, IoT, and Digital Twin technologies—tools that are already transforming how we design, build, and operate infrastructure. These systems offer real-time data and performance feedback that can dramatically improve decision-making.
Architectural education has the opportunity to incorporate these technologies not as electives or future trends, but as part of the core foundation—training students to think like interdisciplinary collaborators and systems thinkers from the outset. The future of architecture depends on designers who are just as fluent in constructability and data as they are in concept and form.
Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges, or opportunities, facing cities today?
One of the greatest challenges facing cities today is the urgent need to modernize and future-proof their infrastructure. Aging transportation systems, overstressed utilities, and outdated building stock are being pushed to their limits by climate change, population growth, and evolving technology. But within that challenge lies opportunity. Cities have the chance to reimagine themselves as smart, sustainable ecosystems—by integrating resilient design, green infrastructure, digital twins, and real-time data systems.
There’s also an increasing need to ensure that infrastructure serves all communities equitably. Transit access, affordable housing, and broadband connectivity should be treated as essential public infrastructure, not luxuries. If we approach cities holistically—blending civil, structural, and technological systems with social purpose—we can build not just stronger cities, but more inclusive ones.
Q: What are your greatest sources of inspiration?
My greatest source of inspiration is an inborn sense of curiosity. I never run out of questions—or the desire to explore the answers. When I heard that Jakarta was sinking, I didn’t stop at the headline. I flew there to observe it myself and measure the subsidence firsthand. That need to understand how things work, why they happen, and how people are affected by them drives my professional and creative life.
I also find inspiration in philosophy. Thinkers like Simone de Beauvoir, Slavoj Žižek, Michel Foucault, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Alain de Botton have shaped how I think about space, society, and the human experience. Their ideas remind me that infrastructure is not just about form and function—it’s about how people live, feel, and connect in the spaces we build.
Whether I’m contributing to an infrastructure project, airport, tunnel, or a skyscraper, I try to approach the work with thoughtfulness and empathy. I’m always learning, always listening, and doing my best to consider the people at the center of it all. I also feel incredibly fortunate to work for the Oneida Nation. It’s meaningful work with real impact, and being part of something bigger than myself gives me a strong sense of purpose each day.